Food was good. Service was bad. It seems customers are an inconvenience to the wait staff. It was not crowded, but 3 wait staff at 1pm could not get to customers. Did not get an ice tea refill. Did not get pepper after asking for it. Did not get my bill and waited for it even after asking for it. It appeared the only manager was intent on leaving instead of helping customers. Also she was very condescending to customers. Stating "they will get to you, they are helping others, as i am leaving now..." I wasn't the only one that had to go to the counter to pay their bill. Could not get eye contact of any wait staff as they walked by me many times. Wish my tip could just go to the cook/chef and not the wait staff. In the world of many restaurants going out of business, I would think the owner would want customers and repeat business. Letting their wait staff ruin their business is not the way to go. read more

We LOVED this place!! The drinks were delicious and so was the food. The prices were very reasonable and the food was satiating. We got a side of honey, maple syrup, and butter for the waffles. The banana waffles were very flavorful and tasted amazing even without syrup or butter. Service was also great and the cafe environment was very homey and chill. Everything was perfect! read more

Doheny Cafe - Side of potatoes, banana waffles, and a hot vanilla cinnamon latte (already drank some). - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Dana Point, California

Waitress was great. this place has a fresh relaxing setting. I loved that they are dog friendly even tho we didn't have a dog, i really enjoyed seeing the fur cuties stopping in. Breakfast was not only delicious but it was served beautifully. I loved that they serve their cold water from a glass bottle. Definitely recommend! read more

Doheny Cafe - Scrambled eggs, toast, potatoes and bacon - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Dana Point, California

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Maybe the best breakfast I've had in a while. We got the breakfast sandwich and avocado toast. I also got a honey/cinnamon cappuccino which was delicious. Service is excellent, everyone is so friendly. I wish we lived closer to this spot!! read more

We walked here on a Saturday. We arrived at 8 right before it started to get busy. The front of the cafe is all open, and a nice breeze comes through. We had friendly service and delicious food. We started with a biscuit and jam. It was the perfect combo of crunchy outside fluffy inside. Just the right amount of sweetness. I ordered the steak and eggs. The meat was tender and flavorful. The toast was very good!! The waffle short stack with mascarpone and berries was divine. They lattes were tasty as well. We had a great experience. read more

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A somewhat unprepossessing exterior belies a gem in Dana Point. My husband and I had breakfast there by chance and got quite a pleasant surprise. The food is fresh, excellently, prepared and wholesome. I chose the breakfast sandwich on ciabatta bread with avocado, cheese, tomato, bacon, and, in my case, an egg fried hard. So yummy. It came with fresh organic strawberries, and blueberries that were ripe and sweet. My husband chose the more traditional bacon and eggs breakfast, which was also excellent and came with perfectly toasted ciabatta bread slices. Our servers, Alan & Cece were lovely - friendly, cheerful and accommodating. All in all it was a great unexpected delight. Highly recommended- read more

This establishment is amazing. Not only is the food great but the service is phenomenal. We need more restaurants and cafes like this.

Don't come to this cafe if you're not white or value diversity. They are straight out racist. Just went in for lunch and they seated another couple and then told my husband and I they were no longer seating anyone because they were closing for a catering event. read more

In the space where Maison used to be and I think it may be owned by the same people. Similarities in menu and presentation. We love that you can get a salad with breakfast (baby arugula and some tomatoes, cucumbers and a light vinaigrette). We've been twice, both times service and meals were spot on. Didn't love that they allow dogs in the place - we were one table over from a gal with a large dog whose fur was floating everywhere - but that's always a hazard in Dana Point. Both times we've gone when it wasn't super busy, but I can see on weekends where it would get pretty crazy. read more

The vibe is EXCELLENT and food is DELICIOUS! Artisan craft local yummy vibe. Coffee rocks. Service is always awesome. Space is clean. Great background tunes will spruce up your morning. Dog friendly. Bow wow!! read more

I came for the first time today to doheny cafe. It was excellent service and delicious food. They were dog friendly and that was the cherry on top. Definitely coming back! read more

Maybe the best breakfast sandwich I have ever had. Fun, casual, beachy vibe and incredibly friendly staff made this a fantastic dining experience. read more

I am confused as to why this place has high reviews. Food sucks and service is horrible! Spend your money elsewhere!

Excellent food. Good quality and prepared perfectly. Was surprised at how reasonable the prices are for the location and the quality. All 4 of us were really pleased with our breakfasts (steak & eggs, Big boy-waffle plate, Hash with eggs and Happy Waitress.) Came with very good service as well. We will return whenever we are in that area and may even drive the 45 minutes from home just to eat there again in the near future. read more

My daughter ordered the potatoes and eggs. I had the waffle with marscapone. Every thing was so fresh and felt homemade-- freshest food we've had in a long while. Even the ketchup was home made! The marscapone was amazing! Friendly service. Clean environment with an indoor outdoor feel. read more

Excellent food, service and ambiance. Highly recommend. Everything was homemade including the sausage and jam. Will certainly return when in the area. read more

Doheny Cafe - Happy Waitress and fresh squeezed OJ. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Dana Point, California

My wife and I decided to stop by here for a light lunch and we're glad we did! I've always been a fan of chili but don't see it very often on menus so I ordered that. My wife had the banana waffles. My chili really hit the spot! Wonderful! Tender wagyu beef chunks with kidney and cannellini beans, tomatoes, sweet onions and dollop of sour cream. I've always been a fan of really spicy food so I asked if they had tabasco sauce or equivalent. They went one better. They have their own house made hot sauce that was unbelievably good! They really should bottle and sell it. My wife's banana waffles were two big banana waffles with maple, honey, sliced bananas of course and pecans. My wife loved it and when she couldn't finish the dish I helped her. I loved it! The decor of the restaurant with its open doors capturing the sea breeze was stylish and very relaxed and chilled --- which is the way I like a lunch or breakfast place to be. The staff --- I mean all of them, not just our waitress --- were incredibly friendly and warm and helpful. What a great addition to Dana Point! read more

Doheny Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Dana Point, California

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Dear Yelp Community, First time visiting this morning. Great spot (off to the side), spacious and flexible (garage doors) design connecting the inside and outside, coffee shop/cafe combo feel, friendly staff. I ordered a simple coffee and (warm) biscuit. Also, this is a good place to get a gift card because this is a restaurant group of multiple coastal Orange County venues to fit diverse taste buds. Enjoy! Sincerely, Anna read more

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Awesome steak sandwich. So good it's busy. They only do reservations 24 hrs in advance

NOT WORTH THE WAIT! This cafe is not very well managed. Went there for breakfast on a says expected a wait time. However, when you arrive there is no hostess so didn't know that you have to walk through the restaurant to the counter and write our name down on our own and then go back out front essentially in the parking lot. Fifteen minutes into our wait I noticed a table open up but sat uncleared for an additional ten minutes, meanwhile our group and at least one other group were waiting. Finally, it was cleared and were able to be seated. After an additional five minutes our waitress came over and we ordered waters as we checked the menu. At least another five minutes before our waters came we were able to order. When the food finally came it was ok , not great but acceptable. When we were done eating and ready to go, after about fifteen minutes we flagged down a waiter (hadn't seen ours for a while) for the check and paid our bill. Bottom line, since the food was mediocre at best and the service and management were abysmal and since there are plenty of other options (even Dennys would be better) we will not be going back and don't recommend it. read more

The service, food and ambiance were all incredible! They make their own fermented bread and it was so light, airy and tasty. I didn't feel bloated after eating it. The eggs and breakfast potatoes were cooked to perfection. Definitely coming back ! read more

Best local spot in DP! The food and service are always spot on. Great stop before or after visiting Doheny beach. If dogs are in tow you can always order to go read more

This was a refreshing stop with good service and great food. We liked it so much we came back the next day for more!!!

Great brunch/lunch stop. Loved the tuna melt, side salad was very tasty too, my friend got the breakfast sandwich was also amazing totally would order that!! The mimosa options were perfect and juice options!! read more

Doheny Cafe is a must try breakfast spot located off PCH. The inside is clean and cozy, and they clearly put a lot of effort into making the cafe an elevated experience. The service was great, the staff is very friendly and always moving. They give you space to enjoy your meal, but are always around and attentive if you need something. It looks like they have a coffee shop inside if you want coffee or pastries to go (I imagine you could get food to go as well). I had a black coffee and was pleasantly surprised, it's at a craft coffee shops level which you rarely get in a cafe. The food was amazing! I got a breakfast sandwich that had a fried egg, arugula, tomato, prosciutto, cheese and aioli on the best ciabatta bread I've ever had which came with some fresh berries on the side. I had a biscuit with jam as well and it was so good, I'm a sucker for a good biscuit and this was perfect. All of the food around me looked amazing, and I don't think you can go wrong on their menu. Doheny Cafe is a rare mix of high quality ingredients, skilled preparation, in a pleasant location and at a reasonable price. If you're in the area and looking for breakfast, you won't find a better breakfast than Doheny Cafe! read more

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5 of us came for breakfast- we all loved our dishes! They make tons of homemade sauces and the house salsa was amazing on my breakfast burrito. It was a tough call between that and a waffle- lucky for me ... they have something called "baby bear" which is a mouth watering waffle that hit the spot! You won't be disappointed with the food or service. read more

Doheny Cafe - Our front - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Dana Point, California

To be honest, I didn't have high expectations for this place. Boy, was I wrong! Had the bacon breakfast sandwich. It was absolutely delicious and flavorful. A fresh ciabatta roll, crispy bacon, perfectly cooked egg, melted cheddar and it was huge. I took half home to eat later. It wasn't mentioned on the menu but it came with a generous portion of strawberries and blueberries on the side. My hubby loved his breakfast burrito that came with a side of salsa and salad. Definitely coming back here soon. read more

Once again, another solid breakfast. Usually go on the weekend but today(Friday) was my day off so decided to enjoy breakfast with my brother. Every dish and drink was amazing as usual. Got there around 8:10 and there were 2 tables full at that point. As I was leaving around 9am the people came rolling in. Generally a great energy in the restaurant, not too loud but energy pours through. Everyone is having a great time and the music sets the tone. I would love to give applause to all the staff from the back of the house to the attentive servers and runners. Also, congratulations and thank you to Chef Danielle for creating another amazing institution of culinary delight to the Dana Point area. read more

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Yummy food and good service overall, they were just busy so we had to wait for a few things we needed. Unfortunately didn't have anything my 3 year old would eat, but he's picky so not their fault. Parking and seating is limited because it's a small restaurant in a strip mall walking distance to the beach. read more

This is a really good breakfast place. Yummy yummy fresh food. And a great price for what you get. And great service.

Very cozy breakfast place. Great breakfast sandwich. Staff was super friendly and the ambiance was perfect for brunch with my parents.

Glad we found this gem! Clean, organic ingredients here. We value this while many other restaurants use seed oils, GMO ingredients, etc. It was nice to feel confident everything we were served was prepared with quality in mind. Loved the euro cafe chairs and tables in an open air environment. Service was friendly and attentive. We'll be back! read more

Super cute ambiance, great service and delicious food! I had the egg burrito and it was perfect, great portion size. My husband had the happy waitress and loved it! Will definitely be back when passing through town! read more

This was a great little place to get breakfast or lunch. The food was really good, and the service was excellent. Can't wait to go back.

Great little Cafe right on beach. They make drinks, n food is good. Every time I go to beach here I always stop n get a blended Pina colada. So good on a hot summer day. read more

Great food, great service. I had the Happy Waitress and was very satisfied. A must try cafe.

Love the ambiance of this place, open doors, fresh air, casual and hip. There's always a wait so depends on how busy they are, you might have to wait a bit. we only had one party in front of us so we waited about 10 minutes, not bad at all. Food was excellent in all that we ordered. Fresh ingredients and delicious. Servers were very friendly and knowledgeable. I think the owner came by to ask how we were doing; I asked for hot sauce and she brought out 2 kinds of house hot sauce. We will be back! read more

High quality ingredients, great ambiance and service!l It's a wonderful restaurant group (including restaurants Giana and Cafe Maison)

This is Danielle's original Maison location in the Doheny strip center with the laundromat and still has the two garage doors opened on the front and she added some big colorful awnings, but no outdoor seating. It has a minimalist furniture and. Beach casual Atmosphere. FYI, my friend was very uncomfortable with the seating the benches along the wall had no cushions and the chairs at the bar were just rod iron no cushions. We were there on a Sunday morning. We didn't realize that they took reservations now so highly recommend. there was a 20-30 minute wait. There is no waiting area so I asked the waitress to bring out a couple of plastic chairs. We sat on the sidewalk and had coffee. The floors are still the original varnished concrete floors which makes it noisy. One of the nice features that none of the reviews mentioned is they welcome dogs because I saw three dogs in the restaurant One was a large goldendoodle. The dogs looked comfortable, just laying on the concrete floor. I didn't see Danielle One of my friends said she's usually there in the morning. I don't know how she does it with the three restaurants ithe catering she must be one of the busiest restaurant owners in Southern California. If you ever have a chance to meet Danielle, she's so nice and friendly and welcoming. So if you love waffles, you'll love this place. It's some of the best waffles I've had certainly better than her competition in the area as usual the quality food is excellent. I had perfectly poached eggs and very tasty crispy bacon and regular coffee is delicious as usual. I don't know if it was the Italian roast she serves in her other restaurants, but it was excellent and my friend had a latte which was great. It took a little while for the food to come out but considering how busy the restaurant was not bad. The service is friendly, I recognized a lot of the staff from her other restaurants. FYI, they only have waffles. No pancakes.. it's a small menu, but the items looked interesting. My friend said the grilled chicken sandwich with focaccia bread was fantastic. Danielle still had her French style touch of the glass cork bottles of water she puts on the table. She also has a little Refrigerated case market off on the side for wines, fruit, cheeses, etc.. she started during the pandemic in the old Maison. Danielle is a fantastic restauranteur if you haven't tried her other two locations, Gianna and the new Maison and wine and cheese shop in Dana Point I would highly recommend it for more upscale dining. Her food is always top quality and her staff and managers are like family. When I'm in the mood for great waffles again I'll be back but if on the weekend, I'll make reservations for sure. PS I gave a five rating because Danielle is the best . Also, I heard from a client she does five star catering.. I'm not family ha ha but always a big fan. Enjoy! read more

Would give 0 if I could. When my food came, there was a bug on it so we asked nicely to send it back. One server was apologetic and offered immediately to remake my plate and gave us a little pastry which was quite nice of him, but my wife naturally felt really disgusted so she completely lost her appetite and could not eat her plate. When I very nicely asked if we could send her plate back or remove it from the bill (place is beyond expensive, steak burrito was 30 dollars ALONE) a female waitress with tattoos and dyed hair had the audacity to not only have an attitude with me and my wife, clearly pointing and gawking at us from the register, but also asked her 'have you ever gotten fruit at the grocery store before??' She then essentially threw the bill onto our table and walked off in a huff, and tried to say we were the ones in the wrong. Truly rude staff, beyond overpriced, and clearly the place is unclean. Look out for bugs in yalls food. read more